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ASU Hockey: Sun Devils welcome Alaska Fairbanks for season opener

By Carson Roberts

TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs during the third quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images)
TEMPE, AZ - OCTOBER 10: Arizona State Sun Devils mascot Sparky performs during the third quarter of the college football game against the Colorado Buffaloes at Sun Devil Stadium on October 10, 2015 in Tempe, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/Getty Images) /
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ASU hockey returns to the ice this weekend hosting Alaska Fairbanks for a two-game series beginning Saturday in the Devils third full D-I season.

Arizona State hockey is back. The Sun Devils begin the season Saturday against Alaska Fairbanks, the first of two games in a weekend series.

While head coach Greg Powers acknowledged some of the team’s shortcomings last year, he remained optimistic in the wake of a talented freshman class.

“We’ve struggled to score goals in our early phases as a program,” Powers said. “We’re big, we play hard, we’re physical, and now we have some really high-end skill with kids like Demetrios Koumontzis, Jordan Sandhu, and PJ Marrocco.”

Powers conceded that freshmen tend to be a mystery, but is confident all three forwards will hit their stride by midseason if not right away.

His faith is well-deserved. Sandhu put up 31 points in the competitive BCHL, Marrocco totaled 64 points between the AJHL and BCHL, and Koumontzis recorded 41 points at Edina High School in Minnesota.

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Koumontzis explained that he and the other freshmen will have to learn to adjust to the higher competition, but their returning teammates will help them develop on the fly.

“I was able to hold onto the puck a little longer at the high school level, but you get guys here that are even better than your high school teammates,” Koumontzis said. “Now, you got more guys to use, and you have to use them because guys are going to be on you faster than they were in high school.”

Brinson Pasichnuk, the Sun Devils’ new captain, enters the season with the momentum of a huge second half. He posted 17 points in the 14 games following the team’s Jan. 5 match with Northern Michigan.

Pasichnuk wants to aid in the development of the younger players by “being the hardest worker, giving guys tips that previous guys have shown me.”

One matchup to watch out for will be the sophomore debuts of two high-scoring wingers –Arizona State’s Johnny Walker and Alaska Fairbanks’ Steven Jandric.

Walker, like Pasichnuk, exploded after the turn of the new year. He netted 13 of his 17 goals in the back end of his freshman season.

Jandric will look to take the mantle from Zach Frye, the versatile defenseman that led the team in scoring by a wide margin last season. Jandric’s 23 points, 19 of which are assists, are the most of any player returning for the Nanooks.

Jandric’s playmaking style contrasts Walker’s scoring touch; however, fans are likely to see each of them make a play or two in the upcoming series.

Although not highlighted by hockey’s elite programs, this weekend matchup should be both an entertaining and learning experience for anyone interested in the program.

“The atmosphere here feels different this year. It feels way better than it ever has before,” Pasichnuk said.

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The first game between the Sun Devils and Nanooks is scheduled for Saturday at 7:05 p.m. PT. The second tilt will be Sunday at 3:00 p.m. PT. Both games will be played at Oceanside Ice Arena.

All quotes in this article were obtained firsthand by Devils in Detail unless otherwise noted.